Fluid filtration system

ABSTRACT

A fluid treatment system having in one version an irradiation chamber with UV lamps with a swirl vane pack in the inlet for effecting clockwise and counterclockwise swirl in fluid entering the chamber. Other versions employ a central filter media element with an irradiation chamber with UV lamps disposed annularly thereabout. In other versions, mechanical wiper discs are provided for wiping debris from the filter media and the lamp tubes. In other versions, the UV lamps are in a central irradiation chamber with plural filter media tubes arrayed annularly there around. In other versions, mechanical wipers are provided for the UV tubes and a rotating drain arm is provided for backwashing individual filter tubes. In other versions, the central filter and annularly arrayed UV tubes are mounted in a pressure vessel lid.

This application claims priority from U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/654,440, filed Jun. 1, 2012 by David K. Yee et al. and entitled “Unified Filtration System” and is incorporation by reference herein in its entirety.

BACKGROUND

The present disclosure relates to a fluid treatment system and particularly systems for the treatment of water and more particularly, to the treatment of sea water employed for ballast in an ocean going vessel. Such systems are employed to purify the sea water entering the ballast tanks to prevent contamination of the tanks. Such ballast water treatment systems have heretofore employed filtering media elements and irradiation such as by ultraviolet lamps. Examples of such systems are those described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,838,845, 5,843,309 and 6,447,720 and U.S. Patent Publication Nos. 2010/0282661 A1 and 2011/0100885 A1. These devices have the disadvantages that the irradiation by the UV lamps is insufficient due to localized flow velocity gradients, low flow rates at acceptable levels of purification, their size and expense of installation. Generally, the amount of UV radiation that is used to treat the water is determined by the length of the radiation path, the output power of the UV tubes and the rate of fluid flow past the lamps.

Therefore, it has been desired to provide a way or means of improving the uniformity of the fluid flowing in the UV irradiation section by reducing the velocity gradients and providing for more uniform exposure of the fluid to the UV irradiation as it flows through the length of the UV section or chamber.

SUMMARY

The present disclosure describes a fluid filtration system having several versions for the treatment of water and particularly sea water employed as a ballast. In certain versions, the packaging employs the UV lamp tubes inside the filter elements and in other versions, the UV lamp tubes are disposed outside about the filter elements enabling the packaging of the fluid system to be more compact than when separate filtering UV units are employed.

In certain versions of the system, the velocity profile of the fluid flowing over the UV tube section provides improved UV dosage by the use of swirl vane units stacked together as a vane pack for imparting swirl to the water entering the UV section from the filter elements. In particular, the swirl vane pack may be located at the base of the UV tubes to provide for upward flow through the UV section and a more uniform flow velocity over each of the tubes and to improve the level of UV dosage under various operating conditions.

In other versions of the filter system of the present disclosure, the fluid path is optimized to maximize the rate of flow by introducing the fluid at the base of the filter elements and the flow is then vertically upward through the filter exiting at the top of the filter tubes and then flowing downwardly through an annular chamber surrounding the UV irradiation section and entering the UV irradiation section at the base or lower end thereof for flowing vertically upward through the UV irradiation section and discharging through a port at the upper end of the system.

In other versions of the system of the present disclosure, a mechanical cleaning mechanism is provided for wiping the inlet side of the filter media. A wiping disc is moved by a jack screw which may be operated by a servo-motor to scrape debris off the inlet side of the filter media. In another version, the wiper disc is provided for each of the quartz tubes surrounding the UV lamps to remove debris collected on the outside tube. The debris may then be removed using a “backwash” mode where the flow of the fluid is reversed by opening the separate drain outlet to allow for the removal of the debris independent of the fluid intake or outlet connections. In other versions, the backwash is accomplished by a rotating brain tube which may be operated by a servo-motor and which is progressively positioned over each of the filter tubes for enabling backwashing of the individual tube without affecting flow through the remaining tubes.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a top view of a filtering system employing UV lamps for irradiating fluid flow therethrough;

FIG. 2 is a section view taken along section indicating lines 2-2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged perspective view of the lower end of the UV filtration system of FIG. 2 illustrating the swirl vane pack employed at the inlet;

FIG. 4 is an exploded view of the swirl vane pack of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a cross-section of another version of the filtration system of the present disclosure employing a central filter media element surrounded by a plurality of UV lamps and employing axially movable wiper discs on the filter media element movable by a servo-driven axial screw and employing vertically upward flow through the UV lamp section with a separate drain outlet for enabling backwashing;

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of an alternate arrangement of the UV lamp section of the version of FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is another version of the system of FIG. 5 employing a double row of UV lamps disposed about a centrally located filter media element;

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of another version of the filtering system of the present disclosure employing axially movable wiper disks for the centrally located filter media element and for the circumferentially disposed UV tubes about the filter media element;

FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view of the system of FIG. 8;

FIG. 10 is an enlarged view of the lower portion of FIG. 9;

FIG. 11 is a perspective view of an alternate version of the system of FIG. 8;

FIG. 12 is a section view of the system of FIG. 11;

FIG. 13 is an enlarged view of the lower portion of FIG. 12;

FIG. 14 is a perspective view of an alternate arrangement of the system of FIG. 8;

FIG. 15 is a section view of the system of FIG. 14;

FIG. 16 is a perspective view in quarter section illustrating another version of the filtering system of the present disclosure employing a servo-driven rotating arm for enabling backwashing of individual filter media elements progressively with the remaining elements continuing to filter low therethrough;

FIG. 17 is another view in section illustrating the operation of flow through the version of FIG. 16;

FIG. 18 is an enlarged detailed view of the filtering tube cartridge of the system of FIG. 16;

FIG. 19 is an enlarged view illustrating the flow in the cartridge of FIG. 18;

FIG. 20 is an enlarged view of the lower portion of FIG. 16 illustrating the operation of the rotating drain tube;

FIG. 21 is a cross-sectional view of another version of the filtering system of the present disclosure employing a pressure vessel with the UV tube section located in the lid for sequential axial flow from the filter elements through the UV section;

FIG. 22 is a detailed view of the UV section of the version of FIG. 21;

FIG. 23 is a cross-sectional view of an alternate arrangement of the system of FIG. 21 employing horizontally oriented UV lamps;

FIG. 24 is a perspective view with portions broken away of another version of the filtering system of the present disclosure employing the filtering media and the UV tubes in the lid of the pressure vessel;

FIG. 25 is a cross-sectional view taken through the inlet and outlet of FIG. 24; and

FIG. 26 is a histogram of the CFD analysis of the flow employing the swirl vane pack as compared to flow without the swirl vane pack for the UV section.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Referring to FIGS. 1-4, one version of the fluid treatment system of the present disclosure is indicated generally at 10 and employs a pressure vessel 12 having a general hollow cylindrical configuration with an inlet 14 disposed at the lower end of the vessel 12 and an outlet 16 located at the upper end of the vessel. The vessel 12 has an enlarged diameter section 18 at the lower end thereof having the inlet 14 formed thereon; and, the section 18 has therein a swirl vane pack indicated generally at 20 disposed therein which has the outer periphery thereof or inlet side communicating exclusively with inlet 14 and the inner periphery or discharge side thereof communicating exclusively with the interior chamber 22 of the pressure vessel 12.

The upper end of the pressure vessel 12 is closed by a cover plate 24 which has connected thereto the upper end of a plurality of UV lamp tubes 26 disposed in spaced arrangement with the upper end thereof extending through apertures provided in the plate 24 for electrical connection thereto. With reference to FIG. 3, the lower end of the UV tubes 26 is received in apertures provided in the lower end plate 28 of the pressure vessel which apertures are denoted by reference numeral 30 in FIG. 3.

It will be understood that each of the UV lamps 26 is disposed in a quartz tube for protection; however, only a single outline for each tube location is shown in FIGS. 1-4 for clarity of illustration.

Referring to FIG. 4, the swirl vane pack 20 is shown in an exploded view as having a lower annular ring 30 having a plurality of circumferentially spaced vanes 32 disposed on the upper face thereof which vanes are angled or skewed with respect to a tangent to the ring to cause fluid flow entering from the outer periphery to swirl as it flows to the interior in a counterclockwise direction. A second annular member or ring 34 is positioned on top of the vanes 32 to create an annular channel between the members 30 and 34 into which fluid flow swirls counterclockwise. The upper face of annular member 34 has disposed thereon a plurality of upstanding vanes 36 which are angled with respect to a tangent to the member 34 to cause fluid entering from the outer periphery to swirl inwardly in a clockwise direction. A third annular member or ring 38 has the undersurface thereof contacting the vanes 36 so as to form a channel between the rings 38, 34 for effecting clockwise swirl in the flow therebetween. The third ring 38 has disposed on the upper face thereof a plurality of vanes 40 in spaced circumferential arrangement and skewed or angled with respect to the tangent thereto to effect counterclockwise flow on the outer periphery to the inner periphery. A fourth or cover ring 42 is disposed on top of the vanes 40 to create a channel between members 42 and 38 for effecting counterclockwise swirl therebetween.

The fluid treatment system of FIGS. 1-4 thus provides flow entering inlet 14 at the lower end thereof to be directed in both clockwise and counterclockwise swirl as it enters the UV chamber 32 thus improving the uniformity by reducing velocity gradients between the various UV tubes disposed in the chamber, thus enabling more effective radiation and purification of the fluid flowing to the outlet 16.

Referring to FIG. 26, a computational fluid dynamics (CFD) analysis was performed on the version of FIGS. 1-4 for flow therethrough with and without the swirl vane pack 20 assuming the use of medium pressure UV tubes having a surface illumination intensity of 100 kW/cm². The results of the CFD analysis are plotted as a histogram in FIG. 26 with the calculated UV dosage in watts-seconds/M² for various levels of dosage in increments of 500. The vertical axis indicates values of the percent of the particles dosed; and, the graph shows a significantly greater dosage for the substantially greater portion of the range of dosages where the swirl vane pack is employed. For the CFD analysis performed, the data of FIG. 26 indicate a median dosage of 2130 watts-seconds/M² without the flow vane pack and a median dosage of 3392 watts-second/M² where the swirl vane pack is employed.

Referring to FIG. 5, another version of the fluid treatment system of the present disclosure is indicated generally at 50 and includes a pressure vessel with a cylindrical wall 52 having an inlet 54 located on one side thereof adjacent the upper end. The vessel wall 52 has an upper end plate 58 and a lower end plate 60 with an inner tubular member 56 and an annular chamber 62 formed between the tubular member 56 and the pressure vessel wall 52. The inlet 54 communicates exclusively with the interior of the tubular member 56. An annular flange 64 which forms the upper end of a tubular filter media element 66; and, the outer periphery of the flange 64 is sealed against the inner periphery of the tubular member 56 such that all flow from inlet 54 passes to the interior of the tubular filter media element 66. Outward flow through the filter media element 66 as indicated by the arrows in FIG. 5 flows into an annular space 68 formed between the interior of the tubular member 56 and the outer periphery or discharge side of the filter media element 66. The tubular member 56 has an outlet 70 formed in the lower end thereof such that all flow passing through filter element 66 enters chamber 68 and flows through outlet 70 to the annular region which comprises an irradiation chamber 62. The irradiation chamber 62 has disposed therein a plurality of circumferentially spaced UV lamps, each of which is encased in a quartz tube 72 such that an array of circumferentially spaced tubes 72 is formed about the tubular member 56. The UV lamps in each of the tubes 72 has a fitting 74 extending through the lower end plate 60 which fittings are adapted for electrical connection thereto to provide power to the UV lamps within the quartz tubes 72. The irradiation chamber 62 communicates exclusively with an outlet 76 disposed adjacent the upper end of the vessel wall 52 and circumferentially spaced from the inlet 54. Thus, flow entering the filter media element 66 flows radially outwardly therethrough through the outlet 70 and upwardly through the radiation chamber 62 and is discharged through outlet 76.

The tubular filter media element 66 has a shaft 78 disposed centrally therethrough from the upper end thereof through the lower end thereof and shaft 78 is secured at its lower end in a bearing 82 in a closure or dome 80 to permit rotation. The closure 80 forms a drain chamber 84 which communicates exclusively with the interior of the filter media element 66 at its lower end; and, the chamber 84 has a drain outlet 85 which may be selectively opened and closed by a suitable drain valve (not shown). The shaft 78 includes an axial lead screw which has disposed thereon at axially spaced intervals a plurality of wiper discs 86, 88, 90, 92, each of which has its outer periphery disposed in closely spaced proximity to the inner surface of the filter media element 66 such that, upon rotation of the lead screw 78, the wiper elements are moved axially along the inner surface of the filter media element 66 for wiping debris collected thereon. The debris may then be removed by “backwashing” upon opening of the drain outlet 85, allowing the debris to fall through holes provided in the wiper discs as denoted by reference numeral 94 to the lower end of the filter into chamber 84. The upper end of the axial lead screw 78 extends into a motorized drive 96 provided on the upper end of the tubular member 56 for, upon selective activation, effecting rotation of the lead screw 78. The version of FIG. 5 thus provides for mechanical wiping of the inlet pressure side of the tubular filter media element to remove debris deposited thereon and to permit backwashing of the removed debris out through a drain. The version of FIG. 5 thus provides compactness by virtue of the concentric disposition of the UV lamps about the filter media element thereby minimizing the size of the pressure vessel required to house the filtering and irradiation sections or chambers.

Referring to FIG. 6, an alternate arrangement of the version of FIG. 5 is illustrated in transverse cross-section and denoted generally at 100 with the axial lead screw and wiper discs removed for clarity of illustration. The arrangement 100 has the pressure vessel wall 102 formed with an outlet 104 which is located adjacent the upper end of the tubular wall 102. The arrangement 100 has a central tubular filter media element 106 which discharges radially outwardly into the interior of the pressure vessel 102. In the arrangement 100, the UV tubes 108 are disposed in circumferentially spaced arrangement between two arcuately shaped quartz sleeves 110, 112 disposed in concentric radially spaced arrangement with the arcuate ends thereof closed so as to completely surround the UV tubes 108. The flow exiting the filter media element 106 flows about the annular space 114 between the tubular filter media element 106 and the inner quartz sleeve 112 and outwardly through the space between the arcuate ends of the quartz sleeves and into an annular space 116 formed between the outer quartz sleeve 110 and the pressure vessel wall 102 which annular space 116 communicates exclusively with the outlet 104 by virtue of a partition 118 formed at one end of the outer arcuate sleeve 110. Thus, in the arrangement 100, the flow exiting the chamber 114 is forced to flow counterclockwise in annular chamber 116 and then through the outlet 104.

Referring to FIG. 7, another arrangement of the version of FIGS. 1-4 is illustrated in transverse section indicated generally at 120. For simplicity of illustration, the axial lead screw and wiper elements within the filter element 132 have been omitted for clarity in FIG. 7. The arrangement 120 has a tubular pressure vessel wall 122 with an outlet 124 located adjacent the upper end of the vessel wall. A tubular inner member having a wall 126 is disposed centrally within wall 122 with a longitudinal axial slot opening 128 formed therein with one arcuate end of the wall 126 forming the slot connected by partition 130 such that flow exiting the slot 128 is required to flow counterclockwise around the tubular member 126 before exiting through outlet 124. The arrangement 120 has a tubular filter media element 132 disposed centrally therein spaced radially inwardly of the inner periphery of the tubular member 126 so as to form an annular space 134 thereabout which is opened through slot 128.

The arrangement 126 of FIG. 7 has two circumferentially disposed arrays of UV tubes comprising an inner array 134 and an outer array 136 disposed about the tubular member 126 in circumferentially spaced arrangement. In the present practice, the UV lamps are each enclosed in an individual quartz tube. In the arrangement 120 of FIG. 7, fluid flow entering the interior of the fluid filter element 132 flows radially outwardly therethrough into the annular space 134 and radially outwardly through the slot 128 and counterclockwise about the UV tubes until reaching the partition 130 and then the flow exits through the outlet 124. The arrangement of FIG. 7 thus tends to reduce or minimize velocity gradients of the flow about the UV tubes to improve irradiation and purification.

Referring to FIGS. 8-10, another version of the fluid treatment system of the present disclosure is indicated generally at 140 and employs a tubular pressure vessel wall 142 having an inner tubular member 144 disposed centrally therein and extending upwardly partially therefrom, with the tubular member 144 having an inlet 146. An outlet 148 is formed in the pressure vessel wall 142 adjacent the upper end thereof. The inner tubular member 144 has disposed therein a tubular filter media element 150 which has an annular flange 152 on the upper end thereof which has the outer periphery thereof sealed against the inner periphery of the inner tubular member 150. In like manner, the lower end of the tubular filter element 150 has an annular flange 154 attached thereto sealed thereon about its inner periphery and having its outer periphery sealed against the inner periphery of the tubular member 144. The pressure vessel wall 142 has an upper annular end plate 156 which seals the annular space 158 formed between the pressure vessel wall 142 and a tubular member 150 at its upper end which annular space 158 comprises an irradiation chamber. A lower annular end plate 160 seals the chamber 158 at its lower end between the pressure vessel wall 142 and the inner periphery of pressure vessel wall 144 at the lower end of vessel wall 142.

An upper and lower wiper disc 162 are disposed within the filter media tube 150 and have an actuator rod 164 attached thereto which extends upwardly through the upper end plate 166 disposed over the inner tube 150. The wiper discs 162 are configured to closely inter fit the inner periphery of the filter media tube 150 such that movement therein effects wiping of debris from the inner or entrance side of the filter tube upon movement of the rod 164. The end of the rod extends through the upper end plate 166 and is attached to a pair of yoke bars 168, 170 in the central region thereof which bars extend transversely beyond the diameters of the tube 144 and outer wall 142. The bars 168, 170 are skewed with respect to each other. The bar 170 is attached at its ends to a pair of piston rods 172, 174 which extend from oppositely disposed fluid pressure cylinders 176, 178, respectively. The cylinders are supported or mounted on a mounting bar 179 which is supported by external structure (not shown). The central actuating rod 164 passes freely through a clearance aperture 180 provided in the support bar 178. Similarly, the piston rods 172, 174 pass through clearance apertures 182, 184, respectively, in the support bar 178.

The upper yoke bar 168 has attached at its opposite ends, respectively, actuator rods 186, 188 which extend downwardly through clearance apertures, one of which is illustrated in FIG. 8 and denoted by reference numeral 190 into the UV irradiation chamber 158 and are attached to spaced annular wiper discs 192, 194 disposed in the chamber 158 for wiping the exterior surface of the quartz UV lamp tubes 196 surrounding the plurality of circumferentially spaced UV tubes as denoted by reference numeral 196.

The end plates 156, 160 for the outer vessel wall 142 are held in place by the plurality of circumferentially spaced flange bolts 198 disposed thereabout.

In operation, upon selective fluid pressurization, either above atmospheric or sub-atmospheric, or a combination thereof, in the fluid pressure cylinders 176, 178, the yokes 168, 170 are operative to move the central wiper discs 162 in the filter media tube and the annular wiper discs 192, 194 in the UV chamber for removing debris accumulated on the respective surfaces thereof. It will be understood that the fluid pressure cylinders 176, 178 are respectively connected to selectively actuated pressure sources (not shown).

In the version shown in FIGS. 8-10, fluid entering the inlet 146 flows outwardly through the wall of the tubular filter media 150 into the annular space between the filter media 150 and the tube wall 144 and exits through outlet opening 200 provided in the lower end of the tube 144 and into the irradiation chamber 158 and upwardly therein to the discharge outlet 148. The arrangement of the version in FIGS. 8-10 thus results in an upward flow through the irradiation chamber.

Referring to FIGS. 8 and 9, a drain closure or dome is disposed about the lower end of the inner tube 144 with the wall thereof as denoted by reference numeral 202 and forms a drain chamber 204 connected to a drain outlet 206 through the wall 202. The drain 206 may be selectively opened and closed by a suitable remotely operated valve (not shown). Upon opening of the drain 206, the annular space between the tubular filter media element 150 and the inner tubular wall 144, which is in operation at an outlet pressure P₀, and the drain chamber 204 is reduced causing washing or flushing of debris through drain chamber 204 and drain 206.

Referring to FIGS. 11-13, another version of the fluid filtering system of the present disclosure is indicated generally at 220 and is identical to the version of FIGS. 8-10 with the exception that the opening in the inner tube surrounding the filter media element is replaced by a plurality of openings denoted by reference numeral 222 in FIGS. 12 and 13.

Referring to FIGS. 14 and 15, another version of the fluid filtering system of the present disclosure is indicated generally at 240 and is identical to the version 220 of FIGS. 11-13 with the exception that the outlet holes from the annular chamber surrounding the tubular filter media are extended along the entire length of the inner tube surrounding the filter media element as denoted by reference numerals 242.

Referring to FIGS. 16-20, another version of the fluid filtering system of the present disclosure is indicated generally at 250 and employs a central irradiation chamber containing a plurality of UV lamps surrounded by an annular chamber having a plurality of circumferentially spaced filter media element tubes disposed therein. The version 250 employs a backwashing arrangement, which, upon selective activation, is capable of backwashing progressively individual filter tubes while maintaining normal filtering flow of the remaining tubes.

Referring to FIGS. 16 and 17, a tubular pressure vessel having an outer wall 254 has the lower end thereof closed by a closure or dome 256, which may be formed integrally therewith and which dome 256 has a fluid pressure inlet 258 provided therein for providing a flow of fluid such as sea water to be filtered and purified and which may be formed integrally with vessel wall 254. The upper end of the pressure vessel 254 is open and has an annular outwardly extending flange 260 provided thereon which has a disposed thereover a corresponding flange 262 provided on a lid or closure dome 264. The flange 262 is secured to the pressure vessel flange 260 by a plurality of circumferentially space bolts 266. The lid or closure dome 264 has received through a central opening therein and attached thereto an inner tubular wall member 268 which extends downwardly within the pressure vessel 254 to a position spaced adjacent a lower sealing disc hereinafter described in greater detail. The upper end of the tubular member 268 extends upwardly exteriorly of the lid 264 and is closed by a cover plate 272 which may be fastened by suitable fasteners for ease of removal.

The interior of the tubular member 268 forms an irradiation chamber 274 which has the plurality of UV lamps, typically in quartz tubes 278 extending downwardly in the chamber 274. The upper ends of the tubes 278 are attached to the cover plate 272 and extend outwardly through suitable pressure type fittings 276 provided therein for external electrical connection thereto. The UV lamps denoted by reference numeral 278 in FIG. 17 are disposed in spaced arrangement and have a wiper disc received thereover in closely fitting engagement. Disc 280 has a central actuating rod 290 attached thereto which extends outwardly through an aperture with a sliding seal provided in the upper plate 272 and is adapted for connection to an external actuator (not shown) for providing axial movement of the wiper disc 280 for wiping debris from the outer surface of the tubes 278.

The annular space between the inner tubular member 268 and the outer vessel wall 254, which space is denoted by reference numeral 282, has a filter assembly or cartridge indicated generally at 284 disposed therein for filtering fluid such as sea water prior to entry into the irradiation chamber 274.

Referring to FIGS. 18 and 19, the filter cartridge is illustrated in greater detail and has an annular upper sealing disc 286 and a lower sealing disc 288 disposed in spaced relationship with a plurality of circumferentially spaced tubular members 292 with the ends thereof sealed in an annular shoulder 294 provided in the under surface of the disc 286; and, each of the tubes 292 sealed therein by a seal ring such as O-ring 296. The lower end of each of the tubes 292 can be sealed in the disc 288 in a similar manner. The discs are secured over the opposite ends of the tubes 292 by suitable tension bolts 298 disposed circumferentially about the discs.

Referring to FIGS. 16 and 20, the lower end plate 270 has a plurality of apertures 302 formed therein in circumferentially spaced arrangement corresponding to the location of the lower end of each of the tubes 292 such that fluid in the inlet chamber 304 enters through apertures 302 to the interior of each of the tubes 292 and the chamber 300.

Referring to FIG. 19, shoulder 294 for each of tubes 292 communicates with the open inner periphery 306 of the upper disc 286; and, a mounting disc or plate 308 is received over the opening 306 and sealed thereover by a suitable seal ring 310 and plate 308 secured there against by retaining lugs 312 fastened to the disc 286 by suitable fasteners such as cap screws 314. Each of the plates 308 has at least one and in the illustrated version a plurality of filter media tubes 316 having an end thereof attached through apertures formed in the plate 308 such that the exterior of the filter media tube 316 is sealed on the plate 308 and in a similar unshown plate at its lower end. The interior of each filter media tube 316 is open to the region above the upper surface of the disc 286. In this arrangement, fluid flowing in chamber 304 upwardly through the apertures 302 and the lower end plate 270 flows into the chamber 300 and through the filter media tubes 316 from the exterior thereof to the interior thereof and upwardly to the region above the disc 286.

Referring to FIG. 17, fluid exiting the upper end of the tubes 316 flows over the top of the disc 286 and downwardly through the annular space 282 between the tubes 292 and the inner tubular member 268 and radially inwardly through the space between the bottom of the tubular member 268 and the end plate 270 and into the irradiation chamber 274. This fluid then flows upwards in chamber 274 to an outlet 318 provided in the upper end of the inner tubular member 268. Optionally, if desired, a swirl vane pack such as the pack 20 employed in the embodiment of FIGS. 1 and 2 may be employed in the inlet of radiation chamber 274.

The version 250 of the fluid filtration system employs a rotating tubular drain arm 320 which is selectively rotatable in the chamber 304 by a shaft 322 extending upwardly through a rotary coupling 324 and into a retaining bearing assembly 326 provided on the lower end plate 270. The shaft 322 is attached to the hollow drain arm 320 and operative upon activation of a motorized servo-unit 328 to effect rotation of the drain arm 320 progressively from one filter tube 292 to the next adjacent. Upon opening of the drain by activation of a remotely controlled drain valve indicated generally at 330, the drain tube is opened to atmospheric pressure which drops the pressure in the interior of the selected tube 292 below that of the outlet pressure thereby causing a backwash of the filter tubes 316 and removal of the debris trapped upon the exterior of the tubes 316 which debris is then discharged through the drain tube 320 and the drain line 332. Thus, when one set of the filter media tubes 316 is being backwashed within one of the tubes 292, the remaining filter media tubes 316 within the remaining tubes 292 may continue in normal filtering flow.

Referring to FIG. 21, another version of the fluid filtering system of the present disclosure is indicated generally at 340 and has a tubular pressure vessel wall 342 having an end plate 344 at the lower end thereof sealed thereabout and an upper end plate 346 attached thereto. An upper end closure or lid dome 348 has an annular flange 352 provided thereabout which is sealed therebetween by a gasket or annular seal 350 and secured onto the end plate 346 by any suitable expedient such as fasteners (not shown) received through flanges or lugs 352, 354. The lid dome 348 has an outlet 356 through which the filtered and purified fluid such as sea water is discharged from the assembly 340. The upper end plate 346 has a plurality of tubes 358 attached thereto at the upper ends thereof with each of the tubes 358 open to the interior of the dome 348. The lower end of each of the tubes 358 is open through the end plate 344 to the interior of an inlet chamber 360 formed in a lower end dome 362 which has a fluid inlet 364 provided thereon.

Each of the tubes 358 has a plurality of filter media tubes 366 disposed therein such that fluid entering the interior of tubes 358 through the inlet chamber 360 at the lower ends thereof is filtered by flowing through the exterior of the filter tubes 366 to the interior thereof and outwardly through the upper end thereof into the interior of the lid 348 which comprises an irradiation chamber 368. Chamber 368 has extending vertically downwardly therein a plurality of spaced UV lamps each of which may be encased in a quartz tube 370 and which extends upwardly through the dome 348 through sealed fittings for electrical connection thereto. The wiper disc 374 is provided for closely inter-fitting the exterior of each of the quartz tubes 370. The wiper disc attached to a collar 372 which threadedly engages a lead screw 376 which may be selectively rotated by a suitable mechanism (not shown) for causing movement of the wiper disc 374 along the lead screw 376 for wiping debris from the tubes 370.

It will be understood that the tubes 358 and filter media tubes 366 may be mounted in a cartridge assembly similar to the cartridge 286 of the versions of FIGS. 16-20.

The inlet chamber 360 has a rotary drain arm 378 disposed therein which has a rotary coupling 380; and, the arm 378 communicates through the rotary coupling to an exterior drain outlet 390 which is isolated from the inlet chamber 360. A shaft 392 extends through the rotary coupling 380 and the upper end thereof is anchored in a bearing 394 and the lower end of shaft 392 anchored in a bearing 396 at its lower end in the outlet 390. The shaft extends through the bearing 396 and is operatively connected to be rotated selectively upon activation of a motorized servo mechanism 398. Thus, upon energization of the servo 398, the drain arm 378 is successively rotated for positioning under individually selected tubes 358 for upon opening of the drain 390, selectively backwashing the filter tubes 366 in the selected tube 358. In normal filtering operations, fluid to be filtering purified, such as sea water, enters the inlet 360, flows upwardly through the tubes 358 and inwardly of the tubes 366 and outwardly of the upper ends thereof into the chamber 368 for ultra violet radiation and purification before existing through outlet 356.

Referring to FIG. 23, an alternate arrangement of the version of FIG. 22 is illustrated pictorially in cross-section and denoted generally at 400 and has a pressure vessel 402 which may be identical to that of the pressure vessel arrangement of the embodiment of FIG. 22. However, the lid or dome 404 of the version 400 has the individual ultraviolet lamps in their quartz tubes 406 oriented horizontally with respect to the vertically disposed filter tubes 408 in a pressure vessel 402. The operation of the version 400 of FIG. 23 is otherwise identical to that of the version 340 of FIG. 21.

Referring to FIGS. 24 and 25, another version of the fluid filtering system of the present disclosure is indicated generally at 420 and has a fluid pressure vessel wall 422 defining an inlet chamber 424 which communicates with a fluid inlet 426 for connection to a source of fluid such as sea water to be filtered and purified. The pressure vessel wall 422 has an inclined interior ring or open bulk head 428 which separates the inlet chamber 424 from an outer annular outlet chamber 430 formed by an inner tubular member 432 connected to the upper surface of the ring 428 and extending upwardly to the open end of the pressure vessel. The annular chamber 430 communicates with a fluid outlet 434; and, the annular chamber 430 is isolated from the inlet chamber 424 by the tubular member 432.

The upper end of the pressure vessel is open and has an annular flange or ring 436 provided thereon against which is registered a corresponding annular ring or flange 438 which is attached to a generally inverted cup shaped lid 440 for releasable attachment thereto as, for example, by swing bolts 442 provided peripherally spaced thereabout and engaging suitable mounting lugs such as lugs 444, 446.

The lid 440 has disposed therein an annular filter media element 448 which has the central region thereof communicating with the inlet chamber 424 for receiving therein filtered liquid flowing upwardly through the open end of the pressure vessel and into the interior of the lid 440. The outer periphery annular filter media element 448 defines, exteriorly thereof a portion of the inner wall of an annular chamber 450, between the exterior surface of the filter media element 448 and the interior wall of the lid 440. Annular chamber 450 communicates with the annular chamber 430 in the pressure vessel through apertures 453 in a support plate 449 removably attached to a support ring 451 attached to lid 440 such as by bolt 443 such that flow exiting through the exterior surface of the annular filter media element 448 flows downwardly through chamber 450 into annular chamber 430 and outwardly through the outlet 434.

A plurality of UV lamps encased in quartz tubes 452 are disposed about the filter media element 448 in the chamber 450 with the UV lamps having a vertical orientation and electrically connectable through suitable connectors provided (not shown) which may be provided in the dome 440. Thus, all flow exiting outwardly through the filter media element 448 enters chamber 450 and is irradiated by the UV lamps prior to downward flow into the chamber 430.

In an alternative arrangement of the version of FIGS. 24 and 25, additional apertures may be provided in plate 449 intermediate both 443 and the UV lamp tubes extended downwardly into chamber 430 and terminate adjacent ring 428.

Rotating backwash arms 454 are provided within the interior of the filter media element 448; and, the backwash arms are attached to a tubular shaft 456 which extends upwardly through the upper surface of the lid 440 and is connected to a motorized servo-mechanism 458 for rotation. The lower end of the shaft 456 is journalled for rotation in a filter support plate 449 disposed at the open lower end of the lid. A rotary coupling 457 is provided in plate 449 which coupling is attached to a drain tube 460 which extends into the inlet chamber in the central region of the inner tubular member 432 and outwardly through the wall of the member 432 and the pressure vessel wall. Drain tube 460 is connected to a remotely operated drain valve 462. Upon opening of the drain valve to atmospheric pressure, the outlet pressure in chamber 450 causes backflow through the region of the filter media 448 adjacent the open end of the backwash arms 454 such that localized backwashing occurs through the drain tube 460. Upon selective activation of the servo 458, the backwash arms 454 are rotated progressively to adjacent regions of the filter media element 448 permitting progressive backwashing of incremental portions of the filter media element 448 during which backwashing normal filtering flow is maintained in the remaining portions of the filter media element 448.

The version 420 of FIG. 24 and FIG. 25 thus combines the backwashing arm mechanism, filter media element and UV lamps all assembled in a removable lid and, thus, facilitates maintenance and replacement of the filter media element and the UV lamps.

Obviously, modifications and alterations will occur to others upon reading and understanding the preceding detailed description. It is intended that the exemplary versions described be construed as including all such modifications and alterations insofar as they come within the scope of the appended claims or the equivalents thereof. 

1. A fluid filter system comprising: (a) a housing having an inlet and an outlet; (b) a filter media element disposed within the housing and having a flow inlet side in fluid communication with the housing inlet and a flow outlet side and operative to filter all inlet flow; (c) an irradiation chamber having an inlet in communication with the flow outlet side of the filter media element and having an outlet in fluid communication with the housing outlet; (d) at least one ultra violet (UV) lamp disposed in the irradiation chamber with a quartz sleeve disposed over the at least one UV lamp; (e) wherein flow from the filter media element outlet side flows sequentially downward to the inlet of the irradiation chamber and then upwardly through the irradiation chamber to the housing outlet wherein all flow to the housing outlet is irradiated.
 2. The system of claim 1 further comprising, a plurality of filter media elements and a plurality of UV lamps in the irradiation chamber, each with a quartz sleeve disposed thereover.
 3. The system of claim 2, wherein the filter media elements are disposed about at least portions of the irradiation chamber.
 4. The system of claim 2, wherein the filter media elements are disposed annularly about the irradiation chamber.
 5. The system defined in claim 1, further comprising a swirl vane pack disposed to effect swirl to flow in the irradiation chamber inlet, the swirl vane packs having a first annular array of vanes effecting clockwise swirl and a second annular array of vanes effecting counterclockwise swirl.
 6. The system of claim 1, wherein the filter media element has a tubular configuration.
 7. The system of claim 6, further comprising a cleaning disc disposed closely adjacent the inlet side of the filter media element; and, a drive mechanism operable upon selective activation to move the cleaning disc along the inlet side of the filter media element for removing trapped debris from the inlet side surface of the tubular filter media element.
 8. The system of claim 1, wherein the housing inlet is disposed vertically below the outlet and the irradiating chamber comprises a vertically oriented tubular member with the inlet at a lower end thereof and the outlet at an upper end thereof; and, the filter media element includes a plurality of vertically oriented tubular members disposed about the tubular irradiating chamber member wherein the lower end of the media element tubular members communicate exclusively with the housing inlet and the upper end of the media element tubular members communicate exclusively with the lower inlet end of the tubular irradiating chamber; and, the upper outlet end of the tubular irradiating chamber communicates exclusively with the housing outlet wherein flow through the irradiating chamber is vertically upward.
 9. The system defined in claim 1, wherein the irradiation chamber inlet includes a plurality of vanes operable to cause clockwise and counterclockwise swirl in the flow from the irradiation chamber inlet.
 10. The filter system of claim 1, wherein the filter media element comprises a plurality of tubular filter elements disposed vertically each with a lower end having the exterior thereof isolated for communicating exclusively with the housing inlet and the interior thereof at an upper end isolated for communicating exclusively with the inlet of the irradiating chamber; and, further comprising a backwash tube for selectively communicating with the exterior of each filter media tube sequentially for discharging backflow therefrom to a drain while maintaining normal flow through the remaining tubes.
 11. The filter system of claim 1, further comprising a swirl vane pack having a plurality of stacks of oppositely directed swirl vanes operative for reducing flow velocity gradients in the irradiating chamber.
 12. The system of claim 10, further comprising a drive mechanism operable for effecting rotation of the backwash tube with respect to the filter media tubes.
 13. The system defined in claim 1, further comprising a cleaning disc disposed in the irradiating chamber and operable upon movement therein for removing debris therealong from the quartz sleeve; and, drive means operable upon selective activation to effect the movement of the cleaning disc along the quartz sleeve.
 14. A method of treating fluid comprising: (a) providing a pressure vessel having an inlet and an outlet disposed above the inlet; (b) forming an irradiating chamber within the pressure vessel, the chamber having a flow outlet communicating with the vessel outlet and a flow inlet disposed at a level below the flow outlet; (c) disposing filter media in the pressure vessel about the irradiating chamber and communicating a flow inlet side of the filter medium exclusively with the pressure vessel inlet and communicating a flow outlet side of the filter media exclusively with the flow inlet of the irradiating chamber; and, (d) disposing an ultraviolet (UV) lamp in the irradiating chamber and irradiating fluid flow therethrough.
 15. The method of claim 14, wherein forming an irradiating chamber comprises disposing a tube in the vessel oriented vertically such that flow from the filter media enters the tube at a lower end thereof and exits at an upper end thereof.
 16. The method defined in claim 14, further comprising disposing a swirl vane pack in the flow inlet of the irradiating chamber and effecting swirl in clockwise and counterclockwise directions.
 17. The method defined in claim 14, further comprising disposing a plurality of vanes in the inlet and causing clockwise and counterclockwise swirl in the flow.
 18. The method of claim 14, wherein forming an irradiating chamber comprises disposing a tube in the vessel oriented horizontally.
 19. A fluid treatment system comprising: (a) a vessel defining an irradiation chamber having a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet located at a level above the inlet; (b) an ultraviolet lamp disposed in the chamber and operative upon selective activation for irradiating fluid flowing in the chamber from the inlet to the outlet; and, (c) a vane pack disposed in the inlet, the vane pack including a first annular array of vanes operable to effect clockwise swirl and a second annular array of vanes operable to effect counterclockwise swirl of fluid entering the chamber from the inlet.
 20. The system of claim 19, wherein the vane pack includes a first and second annular array of vanes operable to effect swirl in one of clockwise and counterclockwise directions and a third annular array disposed intermediate the first and second array and operative to effect swirl in a direction opposite the one direction.
 21. A fluid treatment system comprising: (a) a fluid pressure vessel having a filtration chamber with an open end and a fluid inlet; (b) a plurality of tubular filter media elements disposed therein with one flow side of each tubular media element communicating exclusively with the inlet and the flow side of each media element opposite the one flow side communicating exclusively with the open end; (c) a lid disposed over the open end and defining an irradiation chamber having a fluid outlet; and, (d) at least one ultraviolet (UV) lamp in the irradiating chamber and operative upon selective activation to irradiate fluid flowing from the tubular filter media to the outlet.
 22. The system of claim 21, further comprising a plurality of UV lamps disposed in an annular array.
 23. A water treatment system comprising: (a) a fluid pressure vessel having a pressure chamber with an inlet and an outlet disposed at a level above the inlet; (b) a tubular filter media element disposed in the pressure chamber and having one flow side thereof communicating exclusively with the chamber inlet and the flow side thereof opposite the one side communicating exclusively with the chamber; and, (c) a plurality of ultraviolet (UV) lamps disposed in an array about the tubular media element, wherein fluid flowing from the inlet through the tubular media element is irradiated in the chamber before flowing through the outlet.
 24. The system of claim 23, further comprising: (a) cleaning disc disposed within the tubular media element in closely spaced arrangement with the one flow side wherein the disc is operable upon movement with respect to the media element to remove trapped solids accumulated thereon; and, (b) a drive mechanism operable upon selective activation to effect the movement of the disc.
 25. The system of claim 23, wherein the drive mechanism includes a motor and axial lead screw.
 26. A water treatment system comprising: (a) a fluid pressure vessel having a first chamber communicating with an inlet and a second separate chamber communicating with an outlet and an open end communicating with said first and second chambers; (b) closure structure removably received over the open end including a filter media element having a flow inlet side communicating through the open end exclusively with said first chamber and a flow discharge side communicating through the open end exclusively with said second chamber; and, (c) at least one ultraviolet (UV) lamp disposed for upon selective activation to irradiate therein filtered flow discharging from the filter media element.
 27. The system of claim 26, wherein the at least one UV lamp is disposed about the filter media element.
 28. The system defined in claim 26, wherein the at least one UV lamp is disposed in the second chamber.
 29. The system of claim 26, wherein the at least one UV lamp includes a plurality of UV lamps disposed in an annular array. 